Sets of building blocks of various shapes and with various methods of interconnection are well known in the art. Some basic building blocks are of very simple construction and are interconnectable in a multitude of different ways. Other building blocks are more specialized and are designed to allow creation of a more limited variety of structures.
One property surprisingly rare among basic building blocks is flexibility. A few blocks have flexible connections between other similar blocks, but such blocks cannot actually flex integrally when standing alone. The blocks of the instant invention exhibit integral flexibility without having to first be connected to other blocks.
Many toys known in the art exhibit flexibility, but these toys do not provide the creative medium provided by basic, interconnectable building blocks. The blocks of this invention combine flexibility with connectability and simplicity, enabling the child-user to create structures so that the child can also enjoy the attractiveness inherent in flexible toys.
The following patents reflect the state of the art of which applicant is aware. These patents are included herewith to discharge applicant's acknowledged duty to disclose relevant prior art. It is stipulated, however, that none of these references teach singly nor render obvious when considered in any conceivable combination the nexus of the instant invention as disclosed in greater detail hereinafter and as particularly claimed.
______________________________________ INVENTOR PAT. NO. ISSUE DATE ______________________________________ Schmetzer 171,533 December 28, 1875 Lewis 1,405,851 February 7, 1922 Hultman 1,554,095 September 15, 1925 Andre 2,649,803 August 25, 1953 McKee 2,708,329 May 17, 1955 Aureillan BR740,951 November 23, 1955 Zimmerman 2,776,521 January 8, 1957 Grutta 2,972,833 February 28, 1961 Christiansen 3,005,282 October 24, 1961 Amsler 3,032,919 May 8, 1962 Christiansen 3,162,973 December 29, 1964 Wright, et al. 3,224,135 December 21, 1965 Christiansen 3,242,610 March 29, 1966 Stubbmann 3,392,480 July 16, 1968 Playcraft Toys, Inc. BR1,167,678 October 22, 1969 Sloop et al. 3,496,670 February 24, 1970 Shackelton BR1,212,537 November 18, 1970 Huebl 3,603,025 September 7, 1971 Zimmerman 3,604,145 September 14, 1971 Schmidt 3,699,709 October 24, 1972 Nagasaka 3,740,895 June 26, 1973 Bakker DT2,429,491 January 16, 1975 Lange 3,867,784 February 25, 1975 Retzler & Knight BR1,382,134 January 29, 1975 Crawley 3,894,354 July 15, 1975 Fabre 3,895,456 July 22, 1975 Much 3,975,858 August 24, 1976 Harvey 4,055,019 October 25, 1977 Osterried 4,080,742 March 28, 1978 Hake 4,090,322 May 23, 1978 Kristiansen 4,185,410 January 29, 1980 Knudsen 4,214,403 July 29, 1980 Mayr 4,253,268 March 3, 1981 Davis 4,257,207 March 24, 1981 Xanthopoulos, et al. 4,270,303 June 2, 1981 Bersani FR2534-484-A April 20, 1984 Inskip EP-109-181-A May 23, 1984 Lyman 4,606,732 August 19, 1986 Yoke 4,642,064 February 10, 1987 Ziegler 4,731,041 March 15, 1988 Lyman 4,764,144 August 16, 1988 Lyman 4,789,369 December 6, 1988 Svagerko 4,792,319 December 20, 1988 Heiremans EP-89/00069 January 12, 1989 Blickle 4,932,916 June 12, 1990 ______________________________________
The patent to Wright teaches the use of a rigid building block set whose block elements can be interconnected using flexible hitches. The Wright patent also has wheels connectable to the blocks. The invention of the instant application is distinguishable over Wright in that the present invention features internally and integrally formed flexible blocks. Furthermore, the instant blocks have, inter alia, top and bottom attachment surfaces, allowing much more freedom in creating unique structures than do the blocks of the Wright patent.
The patent to Lyman (U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,732), the instant inventor, and dated Aug. 19, 1986, teaches the use of a block having top and bottom attachment surfaces and front and rear attachments that flexibly interconnect. However, this Lyman patent has rigid blocks unlike the invention of this application. The present invention is further distinguishable from the Lyman patent of 1986 in that it is internally flexible about plural axes, rather than the single axis of flexibility exhibited by the combination of separate blocks shown in this patent.
The Zimmerman patent teaches the use of flexible strips and not blocks like the present invention. The Zimmerman patent also merely teaches but one mode of interconnection while the invention of this application has plural modes of interconnection. Thus, the present invention is clearly distinguishable from the patent to Zimmerman.
The remaining prior art listed generally above, but not specifically distinguished from the invention of this application, diverge more starkly from the present invention than those specifically distinguished above.